Cartridge



Dec. 24, 1963 5. J. SARNOFF CARTRIDGE Filed March 12, 1962 MW m FIG. 2

INVENTOR. S/0n/ey J. Sarnoff A TTOR/VEY United States Patent Oflice 3,115,136 Patented Dec. 24, 1963 3,115,136 CARTRIDGE Stanley J. Sarnoff, Bethesda, Md. (4508 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, Va.) Filed Mar. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 179,087 6 Claims. (Cl. 128-218) This invention relates to a cartridge for use with hypodermic syringes.

In particular, the invention relates to a cartridge which is intended to be used but once and then thrown away, the advantage of this type of cartridge being that sterility may be maintained and there is no possibility of contamination being carried over from one patient to another.

In a common type of such a cartridge there is provided an assembly consisting of a barrel or tube filled with medication, one of the heads of the barrel being closed off by a stopper, the stopper having a hypodermic hollow needle partially traversing the same. Immediately before use, the needle is thrust the rest of the way through the material of the stopper in order to obtain communication between the interior of the barrel and the passageway in the needle. In another type of a one-use cartridge, a bore is preformed in the stopper and a ball is placed in the bore at the end of the stopper closest to the medicament. In such a construction, when it is intended to use the cartridge, a needle is thrust into the other end of the bore of the stopper and, after traversal of the bore, engages the ball, the ball being then expelled from the stopper, thereby placing the hollow of the needle in communication with the medicament.

These devices of the prior art, while effective to seal off the contents of the cartridge until the cartridge is to be used, may, in use, render it more diflicult to deliver a dose of medication to a patient by reason of clogging of the hollow of the needle with bits of material shaved off or cored from the stopper, as the needle is thrust therethrough or with cores of the diaphragm, as the needle penetrates therethrough. More importantly, if the material removed from the stopper be very small and of a size insutficient to clog the passageway in the needle, it may, along with the medicament, be unavoidably and undesirably injected into the patient.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cartridge wherein, after the needle is thrust through the stopper, unobstructed communication is obtained between the contents of the cartridge and the passageway in the needle notwithstanding the translation of the needle through the stopper and without danger of introducing undesired foreign bodies into a patient.

It is another object of the invention to seal all portions of the needle against contamination from the ambient atmosphere.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent after consideration of the following specification and claims, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross section through a cartridge, made in accordance with the invention, showing a hollow needle within a stopper, the channel within the needle being obturated by a bead and a wall of the stopper behind the bead;

FIG. 2 is a similar view as shown in FIG. 1, but showing parts after an end of the needle has been thrust completely through the stopper; and

which is secured a threaded stud 14 for threaded engagement with the plunger of a holder, such, for example, as the plunger disclosed in the Patent 2,956,563 to Stanley J. Sarnoff dated October 18, 1960. The other end of the tube is closed off by frictionally fixing a resilient stopper 16 in the tube. The stopper has a flange 18 so that the stopper at its flanged end is slightly larger in diameter than the outside diameter of the tube 10. The flange is provided with an edge 19 which overlies the adjacent end of the tube. The tube 10 is filled with a fluid medicament 2.0 between the piston 12 and stopper 16.

The stopper 16 is provided with an axial bore 22 pref erably cylindrical and at least a portion of the bore snugly slidably engages a needle 24 having an internal channel or passageway 26, a blunt end 28, and a pointed outer end 39. The bore extends substantially throughout the length of the stopper, but is closed off at the end of the stopper within the tube; i.e., the end closest to the medicament by a thin diaphragm 32, preferably integral with the material of the stopper. The boundary of the thin diaphragm may be weakened partially about the circumference of the diaphragm as by making the thickness of the diaphragm at its circumferential boundary, for a little more than half the circumference of the diaphragm, thinner than the rest of the boundary of the diaphragm as indicated at 34, for a purpose to be described.

Mounted in the bore 22 is a bead 36. This bead is larger than any portion of the bore 22 and expands the bore by compressing the resilient stopper material immediately adjacent thereto. The bore terminates at the flanged end of the stopper in a duct 38 to initially provide a seat for the bead prior to its being propelled to the bottom of the bore, as will be hereinafter explained.

The needle 24 is fixedly mounted in a hub 40 of metal, hard rubber, plastic, or the like which hub portion is provided with a flange forming a sleeve 42. The internal wall of sleeve 42 telescopically engages and compresses flange 18 of stopper 16 and extends over an end portion of tube 10. In assembling the stoppered end portion of the cartridge, the stopper is fitted within the tube so that flange edge 19 rests on the end of the tube, and the bead 36 is laid on the stopper, centered by the duct 38. Then the sleeve 42 is positioned around and compresses flange 18 of stopper 16 above flange edge 19 and is slid in telescoping relation along the wall of the tube 10 causing the blunt end of the needle to engage the bead 36 and thrust it down within the bore 22. The internal wall of sleeve 42 and the external surface of flange 18 provides an air seal effective to maintain sterility within the enclosed space above stopper 16. It will be noted to further provide against contamination that the upper end FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of Inserted into the tube is an elastic piston 12 to j of hub 40 is sealed by the needle guard 41 when it is in position over the needle end 30 and end of bleed passage 44 so that no air will be admitted from the atmosphere to the space above the stopper 16 via the duct 44. The external diameter of the needle is substantially th same as the normal diameter of the bore. The bead 36 is larger in diameter than the bore. As a result, when the needle thrusts the bead along the bore, the bead continuously expands the cross-sectional area of the bore by compressing the adjacently positioned resilient material thus providing a passageway for the blunt end of the needle. Thus the possibility of the end of the needle shaving off or coring a part of the bore wall of the resilient stopper with the resultant shaving or core partially clogging the needle, or passing through the needle into a patient, is prevented.

The hub and needle assembly is moved relative to the tube and stopper so that the needle end 28 is thrust into the stopper bore far enough to move the bead to the bottom of the bore and in contact with the diaphragm 32.

The position of parts thus attained is shown in FIG. 1 and which position may be regarded as the storage position of the cartridge. When the cartridge is to be used for patient injection the needle guard 41 is removed, and, prior to displacement of the piston 12, the hub 40 is pushed down against the flanged end of the stopper, the entrapped air being forced out through a bleed opening 44 in the hub. Instead of the air being released via a duct 44, as shown, it may be released by other means such as shown in application Serial No. 164,325 filed by Stanley J. Sarnoff on January 4, 1962. As the needle moves down it advances the bead before it, which bead, because of its position in advance of the needle and size relative to the bore, allows the needle to advance without shaving off any portion of the wall of the bore. The bead in its advancement first expands and then ruptures the diaphragm and, upon clearing the ruptured stopper material, drops away into the medicament, thus enabling unrestricted flow of medicament through the channel of the needle. Where the diaphragm wall is formed with a weakened portion, as described above, the weaker portion of the wall would rupture first and a form of flap is produced, as shown at 45, rather than a jagged irregular opening in the diaphragm. This is an added precaution against small particles of diaphragm material falling into the medicament and subsequently being injected into the patient.

After the diaphragm has been punctured, the cartridge may be inserted into a holder and its contents expelled by coupling the threaded stud of the piston with the plunger of the holder and operating the plunger, as is disclosed in the aforesaid Patent 2,956,563.

In a modification and as disclosed in FIG. 3, the bore of the stopper indicated as 46 extends all the way through the stopper, and a thin stretched rubber diaphragm 48 lies in taut condition against the end of the stopper which is positioned Within the tube 10. The diaphragm may be held in contact with the stopper by extending up around the side wall of the stopper with the diaphragm cemented or otherwise secured to the stopper near the upper end of the diaphragm. The diaphragm 48 is ruptured by advancement of bead 36, as above described, in order to open a passageway for flow of the medicament within the tube through passage 26 of needle 24.

While particular embodiments of this invention have been illustrated and described, modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art. It is to be understood, therefore, that this invention is not to be limited to the particular arrangements disclosed, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. A cartridge for use with a hypodermic cartridge holder comprising:

a tube,

a piston within one end of the tube,

a fixed resilient stopper within the other end of the tube,

a fluid medicament in the tube between the piston and stopper,

said stopper having a bore of a normal unexpanded diameter extending along the length thereof through substantially all of its length,

a diaphragm at the end of the bore closest to the medicament closing off the bore,

a bead in said bore positioned adjacent to said diasaid bead being larger in diameter than the normal diameter of said bore, to expand the bore adjacent the location of the bead,

a hollow needle having a portion thereof extending into said bore with the end thereof positioned in close proximity to said bead, and

said needle being of an external diameter substantially equal to that of the normal diameter of the bore,

whereby when the needle is thrust further into the stopper the bead will be advanced, by needle thrust, against the diaphragm, rupturing the diaphragm and permitting unrestricted flow of medicament through the channel of the needle and without danger of particles of the stopper being forced into the channel.

2. A cartridge for use with a hypodermic cartridge holder comprising:

a tube,

a piston within one end of the tube,

a fixed resilient stopper within the other end of the tube,

a fluid medicament in the tube between the piston and stopper,

said stopper having a bore of a normal unexpanded diameter extending along the length thereof through substantially all of its length,

a diaphragm at the endof the bore closest to the medicament closing off the bore,

said diaphragm having a wall connecting the same with the stopper variable in rupturable strength,

a bead in said bore positioned adjacent to said diaphragm, said bead being larger in diameter than the normal diameter of said bore, to expand the bore adjacent the location of the bead,

a hollow needle having a portion thereof extending into said bore with the end thereof positioned in close proximity to said bead, and

said needle being of an external diameter substantially equal to that of the normal diameter of the bore,

whereby when the needle is thrust further into the stopper the bead will be advanced, by needle thrust, against the diaphragm, rupturing the diaphragm and permitting unrestricted flow of medicament through the channel of the needle and without danger of particles of the stopper being forced into the channel.

3. A cartridge for use with a hypodermic cartridge holder comprising:

a tube,

a piston within one end of the tube,

a fixed resilient stopper within the other end of the tube,

a fluid medicament in the tube between the piston and stopper,

said stopper having a bore of a normal unexpanded diameter extending along the length thereof through substantially all of its length,

a diaphragm at the end of the bore closest to the medicament closing oh? the bore,

said diaphragm having a boundary which is weakened only partially about its circumference,

a bead in said bore positioned adjacent to said diaphragm,

said bead being larger in diameter than the normal diameter of said bore, to expand the bore adjacent the location of the bead,

a hollow needle having a portion thereof extending into said bore with the end thereof positioned in close proximity to said bead, and

said needle being of an external diameter substantially equal to that of the normal diameter of the bore,

whereby when the needle is thrust further into the stopper the bead will be advanced, by needle thrust, against the diaphragm, rupturing the diaphragm and permitting unrestricted flow of medicament through the channel of the needle and without danger of particles of the stopper being forced into the channel.

4. A cartridge for use with a hypodermic cartridge holder comprising:

a tube,

a piston within one end of the tube,

a fixed resilient stopper within the other end of the tube,

a fluid medicament in the tube between the piston and stopper,

said stopper having a bore of a normal unexpanded diameter extending along the length thereof through substantially all of its length,

a diaphragm at the end of the bore closest to the medicament closing off the bore,

said bore having a flare at the opposite end of the bore,

a bead in said bore positioned adjacent to said diaphragm,

said bead being larger in diameter than the normal diameter of said bore, to expand the bore adjacent the location of the head,

a hollow needle having a portion thereof extending into said bore with the end thereof positioned in close proximity to said head, and

said needle being of an external diameter substantially equal to that of the normal diameter of the bore,

whereby when the needle is thrust further into the stopper the bead will be advanced, by needle thrust, against the diaphragm, rupturing the diaphragm and permitting unrestricted flow of medicament through the channel of the needle and without danger of particles of the stopper being forced into the channel.

5. A cartridge for use with a hypodermic cartridge holder comprising:

a tube,

a piston within one end of the tube,

a fixed resilient stopper within the other end of the tube,

a fluid medicament in the tube between the piston and stopper,

said stopper having a bore of a normal unexpanded diameter extending along the length thereof through substantially all of its length,

a diaphragm at the end of the bore closest to the medicament closing off the bore,

a head in said bore positioned adjacent to said diaphragm, I

said bead being larger in diameter than the normal diameter of said bore, to expand the bore adjacent the location of the bead,

a hollow needle having a portion thereof extending into said bore with the end thereof positioned in close proximity to said bead,

a hub mounting the needle, said hub being initially spaced from the stopper, and

a flange in the form of a sleeve integral with said hub and telescopically engaged with the tube,

said needle being of an external diameter substantially equal to that of the normal diameter of the bore,

whereby when the hub is forced toward the stopper the sleeve will guide the needle in its further movement in the bore, the needle then advancing the bead ahead 6 of it, so that by needle thrust, the bead Will be forced against the diaphragm, rupturing the diaphragm and permitting unrestricted flow of medicament through the channel of the needle and without danger of particles of the stopper being forced into the channel.

6. A cartridge for use with a hypodermic cartridge holder comprising:

a tube,

a piston within one end of the tube,

a fixed resilient stopper within the other end of the tube,

a fluid medicament in the tube between the piston and stopper,

said stopper having a bore of a normal unexpanded diameter extending along the length thereof through all of its length,

a thin diaphragm at the end of the bore closest to the medicament stretched over the stopper and closing off the bore,

a bead in said bore positioned adjacent to said diaphragm,

said bead being larger in diameter than the normal diameter of said bore, to expand the bore adjacent the location of the bead,

a hollow needle having a portion thereof extending into said bore with the end thereof positioned in close proximity to said bead,

a hub mounting the needle,

said hub being initially spaced from the stopper, and

a flange in the form of a sleeve integral with said hub and telescopically engaged with the tube,

said needle being of an external diameter substantially equal to that of thenormal diameter of the bore,

whereby when the hub is forced toward the stopper the sleeve will guide the needle in its further movement in the bore, the needle then advancing the bead ahead of it, so that by needle thrust, the bead will be forced against the diaphragm, rupturing the diaphnagm and permitting unrestricted flow of medicament through the channel of the needle and without danger of particles of [the stopper being forced into the channel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Germany July 9, 1953 

1. A CARTRIDGE FOR USE WITH A HYPODERMIC CARTRIDGE HOLDER COMPRISING: A TUBE, A PISTON WITHIN ONE END OF THE TUBE, A FIXED RESILIENT STOPPER WITHIN THE OTHER END OF THE TUBE, A FLUID MEDICAMENT IN THE TUBE BETWEEN THE PISTON AND STOPPER, SAID STOPPER HAVING A BORE OF A NORMAL UNEXPANDED DIAMETER EXTENDING ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF THROUGH SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF ITS LENGTH, A DIAPHRAGM AT THE END OF THE BORE CLOSEST TO THE MEDICAMENT CLOSING OFF THE BORE, A BEAD IN SAID BORE POSITIONED ADJACENT TO SAID DIAPHRAGM, SAID BEAD BEING LARGER IN DIAMETER THAN THE NORMAL DIAMETER OF SAID BORE, TO EXPAND THE BORE ADJACENT THE LOCATION OF THE BEAD, A HOLLOW NEEDLE HAVING A PORTION THEREOF EXTENDING INTO SAID BORE WITH THE END THEREOF POSITIONED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SAID BEAD, AND SAID NEEDLE BEING OF AN EXTERNAL DIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THAT OF THE NORMAL DIAMETER OF THE BORE, WHEREBY WHEN THE NEEDLE IS THRUST FURTHER INTO THE STOPPER THE BEAD WILL BE ADVANCED, BY NEEDLE THRUST, AGAINST THE DIAPHRAGM, RUPTURING THE DIAPHRAGM AND PERMITTING UNRESTRICTED FLOW OF MEDICAMENT THROUGH THE CHANNEL OF THE NEEDLE AND WITHOUT DANGER OF PARTICLES OF THE STOPPER BEING FORCED INTO THE CHANNEL. 